Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Good Morning! 

 

Hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving.  I'm not going to do a email on Thursday or Friday, so I will see you guys on Sunday.  We'll be discussing through Chapter 6 in our books.

 

Remember, you can go to the website (leapclass.blogspot.com) and find the link for online summary of each chapter in the story. 

 

Today's Overview:  Chapter 6 - Into the Forest

 

Some time passes before anyone revisits the wardrobe.  One day, while going through the house, Mrs. Macready is showing some visitors around the house.  They had been told to stay out of the way when visitors were in the house, so to avoid getting into trouble, they all four make a run to the wardrobe to hide until the visitors pass.  While in there, they notice a light from the back, and soon all four find themselves in Narnia.  Edmund tells everyone they need to walk to the lampost, at which point Peter realizes that Edmund had been here before, and all the children get onto Edmund for making Lucy look like she was lying when she talked of Narnia and her previous visit.

 

Lucy takes them to Mr. Tumnus's cave, which has been ransacked, with only a note left by the Witch's Secret Police saying that Mr. Tumnus had been arrested for associating with humans --namely Lucy.  The kids decide that they need to rescue Mr. Tumnus.  They see a beaver, and after some conversation with the beaver, they realize that he is a friend, and they go back to Mr. Beaver's home for tea and information.

 

The focus in our unit for this chapter has to do with forgiveness and reconciliation, and it springs from the situation with Edmund's prior knowledge of Narnia and his stories to his other brother and sister.  Once they all got into Narnia, and everyone could see that Lucy had been telling the truth all along, and that Edmund had been lying, Edmund, instead of admitting that he was wrong, instead blames his brothers and sisters for being unkind to him, and vows to get revenge.  The scriptures for today offer some guidance and wisdom about how we deal with similar issues.

 

The main thing from today, to me, is how we use forgiveness to mend our relationships, to avoid the kind of revenge and resentment cycle that Edmund falls into.  There is nothing but heartache and troubles down that path.  If for no other reason, we should forgive because we ourselves have been forgiven -- who are we to be stingier with our forgiveness than God is with his? 

 

Today's Scriptures

 

Ephesians 4:32  Luke 17:3-4, Colossians 3:12-14

 

Today's prayer request:      Thanks for our blessings

 

Thanksgiving is a holiday designed to focus our attention on all the blessings that we have received.  While we should give thanks every day for what God has done and continues to do in our lives, Thanksgiving is a holiday that encourages us to do it in a more public and shared way.  So, as you gather with family and friends, try to make sure that giving thanks is part of your holiday celebration.  And for today, get a head start in your prayers by giving God thanks for our collective blessings of his grace and love for us, for the freedom of our country, for the companionship of friends and family, and for the food and shelter and other material blessings we tend to take for granted.

 

Today's class member prayer: 

 

Brad Douglas

 

Have a great day.

 

Jay

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Good Morning! 

 

Today's Overview:  Chapter 5 - Back on This Side of the Door

 

Edmund and Lucy find their way back to this world from Narnia, and they find Peter and Susan.  Edmund tells the other two that they have been pretending to be in another country, and that this imaginary country is Narnia.  Lucy is very upset with Edmund continuing to say that Narnia is not real, and for not standing behind her story.  The kids ask the professor as to whether Narnia could be real, and he says it well could be.  But for awhile, the kids move on to play with other things and in other rooms,and they don't think or visit Narnia again.

 

The lesson today focuses on the idea of standing strong with the truth, even with those close to you refuse to stand with you, or even worse, stand against you.  Lucy told her story, confident that Edmund would back it up, but instead, he told the others that it was imaginary, not real.

 

The lesson for us from a spiritual basis is that sometimes, as we stand up for for our faith, for what is right or for what we believe. -- we may have others -- friends or family --  who refuse to stand with us, who don't back us up.  Peter did this to Jesus when Peter denied even knowing Jesus three times after Jesus' arrest.  The scriptures for today provide encouragement in those times, while also telling the story of Peter's denial of Jesus.

 

Today's Scriptures

 

Luke 22-54-62, 1 Cornithians 15:58, 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Today's prayer request:      Saundra Aaron

 

This is my Valerie's brother's mother-in-law, who is being treated for breast cancer.  Need to continue to remember her as she continues her treatment, and her family as they head into the holiday season with her illness very much on their mind.

 

Today's class member prayer: 

 

Wes Russell

 

Have a great day.

 

Jay

Monday, November 21, 2005

Good Morning! 

 

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

 

We have books now -- you can pick one up in our Sunday School room, or let me know if you'd like one mailed or dropped by your house.  No problem at all, and since this is a short study, want everyone to have a book as soon as possible.

 

As discussed.we are going to see the Narnia movie on Sunday, December 11 after church, at the Rave Patton Creek location.  We'll have to wait and see how the showtimes work out, but we will probably be able to eat out and then go to the movie.  They are already selling advance tickets for the movie now. 

 

Today's Overview:  Chapter 4 - Turkish Delight

 

-- When we last left Edmund, he and Lucy had gone to Narnia through the wardrobe, but had gotten separated once they were there.  Edmund met the Queen of Narnia, as she was out in her sleigh.  Originally hostile to Edmund, the White Witch became friendlier as she heard Edmund's story -- particularly the part about where he says he is one of two sisters and two brothers.  The White Witch shares some candy with Edmund -- a candy called Turkish Delight - and tells Edmund that he can have more if he returns to Narnia with his brothers and sisters.  The Queen walks Edmund back to the lamp post, and soon after she leaves, Lucy appears. She visited Mr. Tumnus, and so far the White Witch has done nothing to him for not turning in Lucy.  Edmund realizes that the Queen is the same as the White Witch, but he is thinking about nothing other than getting more of the Turkish Delight.

 

--  The obvious learning in this chapter (soon to be borne out by some later chapters) is the idea of temptation and how it leads us astray.  Edmund is going to be led astray by his addiction for Turkish Delight, tempted by that taste to turn in his brothers and sisters.  Like all temptations, this one starts with selfishness -- Edmund wanting for himself what he wants, regardless of what it means for his brothers and sisters, or even himself.

 

-- Note that Turkish Delight is a real candy, and it is originally from Turkey and other countries in that region.  A recipe for Turkish Delight is found in the back of our books.  It is a very sweet, sugary candy.

 

Today's Scriptures

 

The suggested scriptures today are about delight, but I think that those miss the point of this chapter.  Here are a couple of verses about temptation and resisting it.  One thing to note -- read verse 13 from James  - and see what you think about that -- does that change any thinking that you had about temptation?

 

1 John 3:7;  2 Corinthians 11:14-15, 2 Peter 2:18

 

James 1:13-15, James 4:7

 

Today's prayer request:      The family and friends of Matthew Frazier

 

We need to continue to remember this family. Matthew was a student of Megan's up until last year, when his mom had to transfer to Atlanta for work.  He had a rare genetic disorder, and he died last Wendesday..  He was 14.  We need to remember all of his friends and family as they deal with this loss, particularly his mother Gwen..

 

Today's class member prayer: 

 

Kelly Thaxton

 

Have a great day.

 

Jay